climate change, palynology, vegetation, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, Holocene

Reynolds, S. C. (2007a). Temporal variation in Plio-Pleistocene Antidorcas (Mammalia: Bovidae) horncores: the case from Bolt’s Farm and why size matters South African Journal of Science Volume 103:47-50.

by Sally Reynolds

Morphological differences in samples of fossil (Antidorcas recki)
and modern (A. marsupialis) springbok horncores... more Morphological differences in samples of fossil (Antidorcas recki)
and modern (A. marsupialis) springbok horncores suggest that the ancestral species shows less sexual dimorphism than is observed in the horn dimensions of modern springbok. This pattern may prove useful when evaluating lossil springbok specimens in South African Pfio-Pleistocene faunal assemblages. Undated Antidorcas craniodental specimens from Pit 3, Bolt's Farm (Cradle of Humankind, Gauteng, South Africa) have previously been referred to A. recki by Cooke. However, comparison with numerous other springbok samples suggests that these specimens are more likely to represent male and lemale fossils of the extant species, A. marsupialis. This re-evaluationa dds weight to the fossil evidence implying that the modern form of springbok is a southern Alrican endemic species which first appeared around 1.5-1.0 million years ago in Swartkrans Member 1. Bolt's Farm Pit 3 fossils are inferred
to be of a similar age.

Reynolds, S. C., (2005). Geographic variation in selected African mammalian taxa: a comparison of modern and fossil conspecifics. Ph.D. thesis, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom.

by Sally Reynolds

This study examines the nature and extent of intraspecific variation in four African mammalian taxa: the Reck’s... more This study examines the nature and extent of intraspecific variation in four African mammalian taxa: the Reck’s springbok Antidorcas recki (Schwarz, 1932) the impala Aepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein, 1812) the spotted hyaena, Crocuta
crocuta (Erxleben, 1777) and the Plains zebra, Equus burchellii (Gray, 1824). These taxa co-occur in East and southern African Plio-Pleistocene fossil sites. Modern conspecifics are known for all taxa except for the extinct springbok (A. recki) which is here compared to the descendant species Antidorcas marsupialis
(Zimmermann, 1780). The four focal species are investigated for geographic body size differences and for body size changes through time. Multivariate methods are used to characterise cranial and dental variation in modern samples from East (‘East’) and southern African (‘South’) regions. Statistical comparisons are made between samples of modern and Plio-Pleistocene fossil specimens of each species. Results of this study show that modern intraspecific variation in Crocuta, Equus and Antidorcas is primarily size-related, while Aepyceros shows mainly shape differences. The same pattern of geographic variation is not identified in the fossil conspecifics of these taxa. Significant differences between the ‘East’ modern and fossil conspecifics outnumber differences between modern and fossil samples of the South region. The South sample not only shows fewer changes
but these indicate a different pattern of change to the East samples. Body size changes in various mammalian taxa through time have previously been interpreted as indicating climatic and environmental shifts. The size-related changes identified in this study may indicate that climatic and environmental shifts in the East African region were greater than contemporaneous changes in southern Africa. Studies of Plio-Pleistocene climates and environments seem to corroborate this body size interpretation. Evidence suggests that a greater degree of climatic and environmental change occurred in the East African region during this period. This study suggests that climatic and environmental shifts influence mammalian body size changes, both in present and past conspecifics, but that not all species have changed in the same way nor to the same extent.

Reynolds, S. C. and Bishop, L. C. (2006). Craniodental variability in fossil and modern Plains zebra (Equus burchellii) from East and southern African Pleistocene sites. In Mashkour, M (ed) Equids in time and space: Proceedings of the International Council for Archaeozoology (ICAZ), Durham (UK) 23 to 28 August 2002. Oxbow books pp. 49-60.

by Sally Reynolds

The Plains zebra (Equus burchellii Gray 1824) is a widespread equid species, inhabiting a continuous range throughout... more The Plains zebra (Equus burchellii Gray 1824) is a widespread equid species, inhabiting a continuous range throughout sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigates geographic and temporal variability in members of E. burchellii from East Africa versus those from southern Africa. Modern variability in cranial and dental morphologies is first assessed by examining metric variation between specimens from the two geographical regions. Second, a comparison is made between modern and fossil equid specimens attributed to E. burchellii from East and southern African Pleistocene (1.8 – 0.01 Ma) sites. Results show that modern southern E. burchellii is larger in overall cranial and dental dimensions than living East African conspecifics, but East African fossils are far larger than modern counterparts living in the same region. Morphological differences observed between fossil
and modern East African E. burchellii may reflect changes in climate in this region, while southern Africa experienced little change in conditions over the last 1.8 million years.

he Pliocene climatic and environmental evolution of southeastern Australia: evidence from the marine and terrestrial realm

by Stephen Gallagher

Reynolds, S.C. and Kibii, J.M. (2011). Sterkfontein at 75: review of paleoenvironments, fauna and archaeology from the hominin site of Sterkfontein (Gauteng Province, South Africa). Palaeontologia africana 46: 59-88.

by Sally Reynolds

Seventy-five years after Robert Broom’s discovery of the first adult Australopithecus in 1936, the Sterkfontein Caves... more Seventy-five years after Robert Broom’s discovery of the first adult Australopithecus in 1936, the Sterkfontein Caves (Gauteng Province, South Africa) remains one of the richest and most informative fossil hominin sites in the world. The deposits record hominin and African mammal evolution from roughly 2.6 million years (Ma) until the Upper Pleistocene. Earlier excavation efforts focused on the Member 4 australopithecine-bearing breccia and the Member 5 stone tool-bearing breccias of Oldowan and Early Acheulean age. Ronald J. Clarke’s 1997 programme of understanding the cave deposits as a whole led to the discovery of the near-complete StW 573 Australopithecus skeleton in the Member 2 deposit of the Silberberg Grotto, and the exploration of lesser known deposits such as the Jacovec Cavern, Name Chamber and the Lincoln Cave. Our aim is to produce a cogent synthesis of the environments, palaeodietary information, fauna and stone artefacts as recorded in the Sterkfontein sequence. We begin with an overview of the site and early accounts of the interpretations of the site-formation processes, after which we discuss each Member in turn and summarize the various types of evidence published so far. Finally, we review the most pertinent debates about the site, including the ages of Sterkfontein Member 2 and 4, and the types of habitats represented at the site through time.

Reynolds, S. C. (2007b). Mammalian body size changes and Plio-Pleistocene environmental shifts: Implications for understanding hominin evolution in eastern and southern Africa. Journal of Human Evolution Volume 53(5):528-548.

by Sally Reynolds

This study examines geographic and temporal variation in three mammalian taxa co-occurring in eastern and southern... more This study examines geographic and temporal variation in three mammalian taxa co-occurring in eastern and southern Africa. The selected taxa- the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), the plains zebra (Equus burchellii), and the impala (Aepyceros melampus)-are geographically widespread in modern times and are abundant in eastern and southern African Plio-Pleistocene fossil sites. Craniodental measurements of modern conspecifics from known geographic locations are compared using multivariate statistical methods to discern patterns of modern geographic variation within taxa. Modern and fossil samples are statistically compared to assess the nature and extent of inferred shifts in body size, both between modern samples and through time in each region. These results indicate that modern spotted hyenas and plains zebras exhibit mainly size variation between regions, with southern African samples possessing statistically larger craniodental metrics than eastern African samples. Comparison of fossil and modern samples reveals that the fossil assemblages do not show the same pattern of geographic variation. Significant temporal changes are more numerous between fossil and modern eastern African samples, and these changes are not mirrored by similar changes in the southern African samples. The changes experienced by taxa in eastern Africa appear to have been more extreme and wide-ranging than those in southern Africa, a presumed refugium. This result accords well with genetic studies of several large mammal species and paleoenvironmental studies suggesting that eastern African localized environments were more affected by tectonism and volcanism than were those in southern Africa. This study suggests that different evolutionary scenarios may have existed within Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene, but that both regions played unique and complementary roles in the evolution of African hominins and the broader faunal community.

Preliminary Morphometric Analysis of Aethalops aequalis. 2012

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Read Vijaya et al. (2012)

Aethalops aequalis was previously recorded as a subspecies of A. alecto in Borneo. They are difficult to distinguish... more Aethalops aequalis was previously recorded as a subspecies of A. alecto in Borneo. They are difficult to distinguish by external morphology as Malaysian Aethalops species are similar in size. The objective of this study was to characterize the morphological differences within the Malaysian A. aequalis populations based upon the evaluation of seven selected populations in Borneo. To this end, 11 skull and 11 dental characters were examined and analyzed using SPSS software. Six of these characters were found to be polymorphic across populations, with CM1 being the strongest character in most of the extracted functions followed by IM1, both of which are dental characters that relate to the lower jaw length. Character CM1 was generally shorter in most of the Southwest Sarawak populations compared to the Northeast Sarawak and Sabah populations. Aethalops aequalis from Sabah and Sarawak possessed a single skull morphotype and mountain isolation is, or has not yet been a sufficient barrier to lead to morphological divergence. The body and skull sizes were not affected by altitude or elevations, with A. aequalis possessing a single morphotype in Malaysian Borneo. In conclusion, little morphological variation was detected within and among the different geographical populations of A. aequalis in Sabah and Sarawak. The few differences found are likely to have arisen via natural selection driven adaptation to the new environment.

The late Neogene-early Quaternary small vertebrate succession from the Almenara-Casablanca karstic complex (Castellón, Eastern Spain). Chronologic and paleoclimatic context.

by Marc Furió

Mammal biochronology, IBSU and paleoenvironment evolution in a post-collisional basin: evidence from the Late Miocene Baccinello-Cinigiano basin in southern …

by Lorenzo Rook

This paper reports the results or field studies on the Late Miocene Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin (Southern Tuscany,... more This paper reports the results or field studies on the Late Miocene Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin (Southern Tuscany, Italy). Sedimentological and paleontological analysis of the fossil vertebrate-bearing deposits provided a detailcd picture of the basin fill evolution. The deposits consist of gravels, sands and clays formed in several environments ranging from allllvial to fluvial and lacustrine. The occurrence of four distinct mammal assemblages (V0-V3) found in specific stratigraphic intervals allowed a fine local biochronologic calibration of the basin fill to be defined. The Ar/Ar dating of a primary tephra to about 7.5 Ma provides a well-constrained reference for the assessment of the sedimentary and paleobiogeographk evolution of the basin and surrounding areas. The main products of this study are a geological map, scale 1:25.000, showing two upper Miocene synthems bearing several Iithofacics associations, a better stratigraphic-depositional understanding or the basin evolution, and a qualitative evaluation of the tectonic control on the basin dynamic expressed by changes of accommodation space and routes for sediment supply. The mammal assemblages V0-V3 suggest that some events which affected the basin from the mid-Iate Tortonian to the late Messinian have wider tectono sedimentary implications at least in an area between the south-western Alps (i.e. the Tertiary Piedmont Basin) and the Northern Apennines.

Zooarchaeological Evidence of Prairie Taxa in Central Missouri during the Mid-Holocene

by Steve Wolverton

Wolverton 2002

Previous studies report that remains of prairie taxa are common in western Missouri archaeological sites. There is no... more Previous studies report that remains of prairie taxa are common in western Missouri archaeological sites. There is no reported evidence of prairie taxa, such as Bos bison, from sites within the northern Ozark Highlands of Missouri. New data indicate that prairie taxa inhabited the area during the warm and dry mid-Holocene (8500–5000 14C yr B.P.). Evidence suggests prairie taxa were farther east and south than previously documented in central Missouri and underscores the importance of biogeographic data in studies of prehistoric environments.

Pleistocene Infilling of Guadeloupean Caves

by Alain Queffelec

Conferma della presenza di Personopsis grasi (D’Ancona, 1872 ex-Bellardi, m.s.) (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Personidae) nel Pliocene romagnolo

by Alessandro Ceregato

Alessandro Ceregato, Emidio Rinaldi, Cesare Tabanelli, 2002. Quaderno di studi e notizie di storia naturale della Romagna, 16: 1-9
Società per gli Studi Naturalistici della Romagna.

A Late Messinian Palynoflora with a Distinct Taphonomy

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 9

A Lakeland Area in the Late Miocene

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 8

The Middle Late Miocene Floras - A Window into the Regional Vegetation Surrounding a Large Caldera

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 7

The Early Late Miocene Floras–First Evidence of Cool Temperate and Herbaceous Taxa

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 6

The Classic Surtarbrandur Floras

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 5

Art Meets Science - The Unpublished Drawings by Carl Hedelin and Thérèse Ekblom

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 14

The Biogeographic History of Iceland - The North Atlantic Land Bridge Revisited

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 12

Climate Evolution in the Northern North Atlantic - 15 Ma to Present

by Fridgeir Grimsson

2011
Thomas Denk, Fridgeir Grimsson, Reinhard Zetter, Leifur A Simonarson
Springer
Chapter 13